


Falling from grace

by cinnamonnspice



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Destiel - Freeform, Fluff, Guardian Angel AU, M/M, Other, Supernatural AU - Freeform, all the other angels, dean/cas - Freeform, guardian angel/dean
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-02-10
Updated: 2013-02-12
Packaged: 2017-11-28 19:34:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,281
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/678117
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cinnamonnspice/pseuds/cinnamonnspice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was simple, really. All a guardian angel had to do was look after its precious one and not disobey. Disobedience led to punishment, then to eventual dismissal from heaven. Being granted the task of a guardian angel was a true honor; only the strongest and most trusted of angels were assigned this duty.  So why did Castiel find it so hard to follow the orders of heaven? Why was the angel so attached to its precious one to the point of completely disobeying heaven's will? Even more confusing to the young angel, what was that burning sensation it felt in its chest every time it gazed upon the young and fragile hunter? The angel's feathers were seared countless times for the hunter; his history burned into the pure white of the angel's plumage. From the moment Castiel first lay its three pairs of eyes on Dean, the angel was lost to him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Lost at first sight

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone! This is my very first fanfiction, I hope it turns out as well as it plays out in my head. :) This is my guardian angel au that I have been thinking about for a while. The things in the summary will be explained throughout the story, of course. I'm surmising about 12 chapters, maybe more? And I will try to update once a week if not more. I do refer to Castiel as an "it", sorry if that bothers anyone. He also is depicted pretty much as Gabriel describes himself; with three heads but only one pair of wings. I've seen some fanart out there that I based Castiel's looks off of. I wish I could attach it somehow, but I'm worried that I'll get in trouble....so I'll draw my own and attach it later! :) Please enjoy and let me know if you see any grammatical errors~

Bright light burned against the angel’s eyelids as it stirred its waking form. It slowly lifted its first head, its eyes blinking sluggishly as the light entered its being.

“You’ve awakened.” a voice beside it rang through the still air, seeming to pierce into its very soul. The angel craned its second head towards the voice and opened that set of eyes. They blinked as they took in the majestic being sitting next to it. 

“Welcome to heaven, child of God. You have just been born into our great fold and I have been assigned as your mentor.” The being straightened its posture, its three heads turning towards the newly born angel. Six golden and titanic wings sprouted from its back and lay in a comfortable array around its body.   
“My name is Anna. I am to be the one to teach you of your purpose here in the realm of God. What is the name that our Father has given you?”

A warmth bubbled up into the angel’s chest as it straightened its body. Two gracious wings flexed and fanned their feathers out before relaxing and pressing against the angel’s muscular body. The first head bowed in respect and a deep voice rumbled within its chest.

“I am Castiel. It is an honor to have an archangel as a mentor. Thank you for accepting me into your embrace, brother.” Anna nodded in approval and stepped closer to Castiel. Its wings stretched from its back and flapped powerfully.

“Follow me, Castiel. I will show you where you are to stay and serve. I will explain your purpose on the way there.” Castiel bowed its three heads in acknowledgment and flapped its own wings before surging into the light surrounding them. Flying pleased Castiel; it felt powerful and strong as its wings cut into the light waves that fluidly flowed over its pure white feathers. Bright blue eyes closed as it flew alongside Anna, light waves reflecting off of its wings and showering them both in color.

Castiel bowed its first head before it spoke, feeling nothing but respect and admiration for the archangel.   
“Forgive my naivety, Anna. I am but a fledgling. But why have I been born here in the realm of God? What could such a lowly creature as I possibly do for our Father?”

Anna’s clear and soothing voice flowed into Castiel’s being. Any feelings of inadequacy left Castiel as it was enveloped in the care of Anna. 

“You are one of our Father’s most precious angels, Castiel. You have been chosen to protect someone very important to our Father.” Castiel’s third head tilted to the side, its blue eyes blinking in confusion. 

“Why would an angel need my protection? I am certainly not the strongest angel in heaven. Surely there is an archangel such as yourself who would be better suited for this task.” Anna playfully slapped Castiel’s tilted head with one of its wings, understanding flooding its voice as it looked forward towards their destination.

“Do not belittle yourself, Castiel. You may be a fledgling, but you have much potential. And it is not an angel whom you are meant to protect...” Anna’s voice lowered in respect, dropping so quiet that Castiel had to strain to hear it.  
“You are meant to look after one of our Father’s most loved creations. Castiel...you have been chosen to be a guardian angel.”

Castiel nearly fell out of the air as it took in this information. Castiel? A guardian angel?! Even though it was newly born, the angel had an understanding that being a guardian angel was one of the most important tasks an angel could ever be assigned. Not to mention dangerous...it didn’t know why, but failing to do one’s job properly led them to be dismissed from heaven. Those who failed to follow directions were never heard from again. 

“Anna, this is hard to take in. I mean no disrespect, but-“ Anna’s laugher cut off Castiel’s bumbling. The sound was large and ruffled Castiel’s feathers slightly as they continued their flight. Castiel wondered what the angel’s laughter must sound like to other angels flying near them.

“Castiel, you need to relax, brother. All will be explained once you see him.” 

“Him? Him who? Anna, I don’t understand; the only ‘him’ in heaven is our Father. Am I seeing our Father?” Anna’s flight slowed to a halt and Castiel descended with it. The archangel landed beside a small pond a midst a grove of trees. The scenery was lush with plant life and Castiel could hear small, graceful voices fill the air. 

“Anna, what is that? Are there other angels here?” Anna stepped beside the pond and bowed its first head, motioning for Castiel to follow. 

“No Castiel. Those are the voices of birds. This is the place where you will watch over your precious one. Our Father felt that you would be comfortable in a setting similar to that of your precious one. Do you find it suitable to you?”

Castiel’s heads tilted and craned as they looked around. The area was full of trees and the sky was a beautiful blue hue. The angel flinched in surprise when a pair of small animals broke away from the trees and frolicked in the field that stretched out forever. The blue eyes tore away from the curious little creatures and resumed examining the landscape. Castiel felt strangely at peace here. Despite the foreign feeling the area basked in, the angel couldn’t help but flap its wings in approval.

“It is more than sufficient, Anna. Thank you.” The archangel bowed its head. Castiel took the time to look over its mentor. Anna was a very majestic and full creature. It was a given since the angel was an archangel. Archangels were one of God’s most powerful creatures. When God needed something to be erased from existence, he sent an archangel. They were to be feared among those who weren't in their good favor. Castiel was curious as to why such a powerful being was its mentor. Was Castiel’s precious one really that special? Anna straightened its body and motioned for Castiel to come over. 

“All your questions will be answered shortly, Castiel. Come and see...” The archangel’s eyes fell down to the pond. Their gaze that was once strong and dutiful melted to one of love and deep respect. Castiel’s soul burned within itself. What in heaven could make an archangel hold such a look? Something was making Castiel’s soul itch. The angel was feeling drawn towards the pond; a tiny sound wave was emanating from the rippling water and was making Castiel’s soul do flips. What was happening?

“Anna, I feel strange. Something is calling me. What am I to do? Anna, I-“ Castiel’s words fell short as it approached the pond. It wasn't a pond, it was a looking glass; powerful lenses that allowed one to see beyond the viewer’s own dimension. Only a very few number of angels were allowed to use such powerful devices...Castiel was very privileged, apparently. 

“....” Castiel fell into an awed silence as it sat down beside the looking glass. Any negative feelings that had been in the angel immediately ebbed away as it gazed down into the glass. Its soul fluttered to life, making the angel’s entire body burn and spur with affection and care. 

The archangel stirred beside Castiel, making its third head tear its gaze away from the glass. 

“Do you understand now, Castiel? Is everything clear?” Castiel’s third headed nodded slowly, its bright blue eyes shining brightly. The archangel’s wings flapped happily as its gaze returned to the looking glass.

Castiel’s third head joined the others in looking down. Its eyes softened as they observed every detail that was being given to them. The angel ignored the creatures running around in the image, their faces covered by cloth and their hands red with blood. A creature on the table of sorts was panting heavily, her eyes warm as she looked down into her arms. She didn’t know that millions of stars away an angel was looking at the very being she was holding. The angel was that being’s, and that being’s only. Castiel tuned out everything save for the tiny little being no larger than one of Castiel’s fledgling, downy feathers. That tiny being....that was Castiel’s...Castiel belonged to him. The angel shifted in anticipation as the minute one raised his fragile hand towards the female’s face. Castiel pressed its face against the glass, murmuring softly.

“My precious one...”

“Hello Dean. Welcome into the world, my precious one...” The female whispered, nuzzling her face into the child’s as she sang softly to her son.


	2. Burn of sin

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Thanks to everyone for reading my writing, it makes me happy :3  
> I just wanted to say...if anyone was interested...that I have a supernatural tumblr. My URL is paprikapainter in case anyone wants some supernatural goodness~   
> Please enjoy this latest chapter~

A bright summer sun radiated over Castiel’s head as it gazed into its looking glass. Castiel did not feel its warmth; it did not need to. Such delicate and cumbersome necessities it left to humans to deal with. The angel required no sustenance of any kind; its connection with Dean was enough to fuel its existence. As a matter of fact, Castiel had not moved one feather’s width away from the glass from the moment it first saw Dean. Its precious one had been its entire existence as soon as it began watching over him. Years and years passed as Dean grew older. The once bumbling and shy boy was now a secluded, seemingly outspoken man. Through it all, Castiel sat quietly and watched him. The angel’s precious one was destined for a very dangerous road, much to Castiel’s disdain. 

“Dean...” Castiel hummed quietly to itself, its three heads observing their precious one intently. Dean was with a female; this was something he seemed to do quite frequently. Castiel had learned from the other angels that this activity Dean was participating in was rather personal and that Castiel should look away. Even after their chiding and mockery, Castiel couldn’t bring itself to look away. Dean was its responsibility. What if something happened to him if it looked away, even if for a mere second? 

Castiel whined quietly and hunkered down as the scene before its eyes gave way to full on intercourse. Dean seemed to be enjoying himself very much. For whatever reason, this made Castiel’s chest ache.

“....” The guardian angel pressed a muscled hand to its chest, its pure white wings enveloping itself in an attempt to ward off whatever was happening. This strange occurrence, this awful chest ache, had been occurring much more frequently than it used to. Usually Castiel felt it when the young Dean fell down and scraped his knee. The angel hadn’t known what was happening, but it realized that no other angels had this reaction with their precious ones. The ache got worse as Dean grew to become more connected with others; especially females. It made Castiel growl in annoyance. Of course the newly born angel with no experience whatsoever was the only one who had evidently experienced these strange happenings. 

“Why the sour face, brother? Did your precious one take our Father’s name in vain again?” An amused voice rang beside Castiel as a gust of wind ruffled its feathers. 

“I am in no mood for your teasing, Gabriel. I request that you leave me in peace.” A stronger surge of pain coursed through the angel’s chest as the scene before it grew quite intense. Castiel inhaled silently, praying to its Father that Gabriel would not ask why it was so distressed.

“Come now, Cassie. Why are you such a-“ Gabriel’s words fell as it looked down to Castiel’s looking glass. 

“Ohoho, ouch! Your precious one banging another slut? Man, why did YOU get stuck with the interesting human?” Gabriel whined, its wings flapping in annoyance as it turned its heads towards Castiel. Castiel cringed at Gabriel’s words. Sometimes its brother just didn’t know when to keep its mouth shut. 

“Gabriel, I would ask you to be considerate of my standing and watch your tongue, please.” It wasn’t past Castiel to be a little polite; Gabriel was older anyways and deserved some respect, despite how rambunctious and loud the angel was.

“Right, sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you.” The other angel padded up to Castiel and sat next to it, looking intently at its brother.  
“I apologize Cassie, I forget how seriously you take your calling.” That made Castiel stiffen and shift uncomfortably in embarrassment; the angel was known for being lackadaisical and quite the-how did Gabriel put it?- party crasher. 

“You are forgiven.” Blue eyes never left the looking glass even though the image hurt. Dean had finished his lovemaking with the female and they now were pressed against each other on the bed. The angel’s chest pinged with something unknown to Castiel. 

“......Cassie?” Gabriel’s prodding voice pulled one of Castiel’s heads away, making it look at the other angel questioningly. 

“What is it? I am rather busy if all you came here to accomplish was idle speech.” Castiel’s wings flapped slightly in annoyance, motioning for Gabriel to leave the hurting angel in solitude.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing. I’ve noticed from the get go that you are really close to your precious one...” Gabriel gestured towards the glass with one of its heads, genuine concern lacing its voice.  
“I just don’t want you to get too emotionally attached to him. He is yours to look after, but you don’t need to feel his wounds and trials as he does! Castiel, if you continue being this connected to him you know what will happen. You’ll run away from heaven, try to get his attention and explain who you are in a state of crazed sympathy, and then-“

“I am well aware what will happen if I tell him who I am, Gabriel. I am no fool!” Castiel snapped, its eyes searing into Gabriel’s with cold understanding.   
“Rest assured, I will never leave heaven’s grace. I have a duty to perform...” The anger in the blue eyes gave way to guilt as they met with Gabriel’s sorrowful gaze. The guardian angel sighed, speaking quietly to its brother.

“I apologize, Gabriel. I did not have the intention of hurting your feelings.” It nuzzled one of Gabriel’s heads with its own. Angels rarely showed affection towards one another through physical means; Castiel hoped that Gabriel would feel the sincerity in its words.  
“I know what will happen to me if I tell Dean of my true existence. I will be obliterated, correct?”

Gabriel nodded in solemnity, its head bowing slightly.  
“No one has ever told their precious one of their true existence before, but the archangels say that our grace will coincide with our precious ones’ and we will be erased from being.” What Gabriel was insinuating was making Castiel uncomfortable. The angel was saying that Castiel showed the early signs of disobedience; that Castiel would even THINK about leaving heaven to come into contact with its precious one. The idea was proposteorus....Castiel just needed to keep reminding itself that. 

“I am fine, Gabriel. There is no need to worry. I am a soldier of God. I fight for him, not for my precious one.” Even as Castiel spoke, the other angel visibly relaxed and softened its fixed stare. Castiel hadn’t noticed how anxious the other had been...it was strange for its usually gay and spirited brother to be so serious. 

“Thanks Cassie, that’s a load off of my mind. You don’t want one of these, trust me.” Gabriel’s wings unfolded from its back and splayed out on the grassy ground. Most angels had wings like Castiel’s; just one solid color dominating the varying sets of wings. Gabriel’s wings were different. What the angel was referring to were the singed feathers scattered over its plumage. They weren’t just singed and frayed; the feathers had Enochian writings burned into them. Just looking at them made Castiel’s own fragile feathers ache.

“When we are born and our precious ones are chosen for us, their entire life histories are written on our plumage. It is kind of like an unconscious guide for us guardian angels to follow. You can’t see the writing, but it is there. It lays silently, aiding you throughout your calling and in the choices you make in protecting your precious one. You may not even notice their being until....” Gabriel’s eyes fell upon a singed feather, countless minuscule symbols burned into the downy fluff.

“...until you feel the warning of their history on your own physical form. I tell you Cassie, disobeying has never hurt so badly. You can feel each symbol being burned into your feathers. It’s hell. If you make one mistake or change your precious one’s life in a way you weren’t supposed to, their history punishes you for messing things up. It’s a constant reminder to keep in line.” 

“...I was not under the impression that receiving a scalding was painful.” Unease pulsed through Castiel’s being. Being extremely emotionally attached to Dean was bad enough. Now the angel had to worry about potentially being physically punished for making Dean’s life take a different course. Swell.   
“I am truly sorry, Gabriel. I hope that they cause you no more pain now?” Gabriel folded its wings back against its body, laying lazily on the ground beside Castiel.

“No worries, they don’t hurt physically anymore. It’s just....” Gabriel fell silent. The angel had lost its precious one to fate a few weeks ago. It was torture watching Gabriel go through its precious one’s final days. Due to the history written in its feathers, it knew down to the woman’s last breath. It watched with a breaking heart as the fragile woman passed away in silence; no one to comfort her, no one to hold her close...the angel’s disobedience in trying to help ease her pain had resulted in its now numerous scalded feathers. Castiel wondered if it would be able to show control once it came time for Dean to depart from his life...

“Hey, no worries. I’m fine!” Gabriel stammered, rising to its feet and flapping its wings.  
“I’ll come check on you when I can, okay?” Castiel’s head nodded in agreement, watching its brother as it ascended and eventually disappeared from the angel’s keen sight.

Gabriel was an interesting one, for certain. Castiel’s head joined its others in looking down at its precious one. The woman had gone now, and Dean was washing himself in the shower. Castiel tucked its legs under its body and peered down into the glass. Watching Dean never bored the angel. Dean was so...beautiful. So fragile. So kind....

Dean seemed to think that he was very strong and skilled in the ways of war. But to Castiel, the little human was as a fragile blade of grass. The angel worried incessantly day after day for Dean’s safety. He was the kind of man to needlessly get himself into trouble and it annoyed Castiel. Its dear, precious one tried so hard to save everyone that he could. Castiel wished that it could tell Dean that what he wished for wasn’t possible. Dean....funny, queer, fragile little Dean....

Castiel abruptly sat upright as the door to Dean’s room opened slightly. Its feather’s bristled and flared as an unknown being entered its precious one’s room. Castiel’s plumage hummed with a strange comfort as the unknown one pulled a shiny blade from the folds of his innermost coat.

This was meant to happen? Is that what the humming comfort meant? Anxiety began to gnaw at Castiel’s chest as it nervously watched the man near where Dean was. 

Persistently, the history of its precious one told Castiel that this was meant to happen. Dean was meant to be hurt here; he would live through this battle, but he was destined to come out with a few scratches. Castiel clawed at the ground, huge holes gaping in its claws’ wake. Dean had left the bathroom now and had seen the man. He drew out his own knife and began circling him, his eyes containing a dangerous glint as he swished the blade in his fragile hand. 

Castiel’s wide eyes were practically falling from its skulls. Dean was in trouble. Dean was going to get hurt; he was going to get hurt worse than he had ever been. Dean was in trouble and all Castiel could do was watch.

Dean slashed out at the man, missing him widely and getting knock in the chest by the butt of the other’s blade. Castiel screamed in fear, long streams of Enochian streaming from its mouths as it continued to restlessly watch. 

“Just watch, don’t assist. Just watch, don’t assist. Just watch, don’t as--“ The unknown man faked a swipe to Dean’s side, swerving at the last second towards Dean’s abdomen. 

All time stopped as the looking glass began to ripple. Castiel watched as one of its claws dipped into the surface of the glass. The angel growled in satisfaction as the unknown man’s body jerked upright, his head falling backwards as light exploded from his eye sockets until his cranium exploded from the overwhelming power of Castiel’s grace. 

The angel lifted its claw from the glass, intently watching Dean as it wiped its claw in the grass. Suddenly an incredible pain wracked its body as it fell to the dirt. Struggling to keep its eyes on Dean, the angel writhed in pain as a damning heat coursed over its body.

“Dean! No, Dean! I needed to, he was in danger!” Screams spewed from the angel’s mouths as the punishment was branded onto its delicate feathers. Countless burns were imprinted onto its perfect white feathers; the smell of disobedience wafting the air as Castiel collapsed on the ground. It closed all its eyes except for one; it weakly watched Dean as its precious one stepped back from the dead man in a frightened stupor. Castiel winced as the final symbol singed into its feathers. It was finished. Castiel had openly disobeyed Dean’s history and had been duly punished. Relief washed over the angel as it observed that Dean was okay. Not moving, even to breathe, the guardian angel sat there by its looking glass. Affection and relief pulsed through its weak body even as utter pain burned through its essence.

“Dean...my precious one....Dean...”

 

Dean inhaled sharply as he opened the bathroom door; someone was there, and that someone was not the gigantic moose that he had assumed it to have been. Gripping the blade sitting on the night stand near bathroom, he bent his knees and glared at the intruder.

“If you’re looking for some bondage, sadistic pleasure, you’ve come at the wrong time buddy.”  
The intruder snorted loudly, pacing slowly around Dean.

“I’ll take my pleasure from ripping your intestines out through your mouth, Dean Winchester.”

“Oooh, kinky bastard!” Dean spat, swishing the blade tauntingly in his hand.   
“Well, wanna bite of this sexiness?” He gripped the knife firmly before lunging forward, aiming for the demon’s middle. The demon moved with surprising speed and quickly evaded the hunter’s wide-swung arch. 

Dean spat on the ground, focusing more intently on the demon before him.  
“You’re quicker than the others...either you’re on some crazy mojo steroids or you are something we haven’t encountered before.” The demon hissed in annoyance, baring its sharp teeth at the hunter.

“My kind is the last kind you will ever see, ignorant fleshling!” With incomprehensible agility, the demon lunged forward towards Dean’s abdomen. 

“SHI-“ Cutoff mid-curse, Dean stared in utter horror as the demon reeled back in pain. Whatever was happening, it wasn’t pretty. The beast before him clawed at its head before looking straight up, its eye sockets splurting blood as pure streams of light burst from the depths of its head. After screaming for a few more seconds, the demon’s head exploded in a bloody mess, leaving Dean covered in flesh, blood, and complete confusion.

He hadn’t set a spell or anything...what just happened? Dean looked down at his knife. Nope. Nothing special about the knife. He looked around the room. Nothing seemed any different than when Sammy had left earlier to get them some food. 

An unsettling feeling washed over him as he stepped back from the demon. Something incredible had just happened there. Why had it killed the demon and not him? What the hell?! Dean groaned in frustration. Now something even MORE powerful was out there. What existed that could produce such results as the mutilated mess that was splayed on the floor before him? 

Dean shuddered as he looked around the room. He was being watched....years of hunting had taught him to trust his instincts. Something was watching him now as he walked around the room. Maybe it was the thing that had obliterated the demon....

“....” The hunter reached into his pants and retrieved his phone, hitting the first number on speed dial before pressing it to his ear.

“....Dean? I’ve got your pie, just relax ma-“  
“Shut up Sammy, I’m not....wait, good job with the pie. But something just happened here and I’m not sure what.”  
“Wait, what happened?! Dean, are you okay?”  
“....” Dean looked down at his body. The stab the demon had made at him....it was too quick for Dean to have ever possibly dodged. If the demon hadn’t suddenly went from murderous freak to bloody popcorn, then Dean would be dead right then. A calloused hand ran over his stomach, the unsettling feeling of being watched coursing through him again.

“Just...get here quick Sammy. We need to talk somewhere else.” Something was out there. And Dean was going to find out what the hell it was.


End file.
